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G. E. KING. Opti-03.1A Toy.

N0. 2.37.3819. Patented Feb. 8,1881

N. ETER FH TO-LITH RAPHER.W

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

` GEORGE E. KING, OF NEW YORK, N.: Y.

OPTICALTOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `lEatent', No. 237,389, dated February 8, 1881.

Application filed December 21. 1880. (Model.) i I l illusion, the effect depending` partly upon rapidvibration and partly upon the colors employed.

The object is to amuse and instruct, and the` toy may be employed in advertising.

Referring to the drawings for a better understandin g ofthe invention, A A are squares of a blue color on a larger square of stiff paper or board, and B B are grotesque gures in red on the blue ground. I prefer to arrange nine squares in a group, and to leave stripes or spaces c a of a different color between them. This arrangement is not, however, essential, and it is not essential that there be ninesquares or that they be square. There may be more or less than nine gures variously grouped on a blue ground, and they may be of various forms or shapes. I prefer, however, the number and` arrangement shown as producing a good effect. When the card thus prepa-red is held by one corner and gently but rapidly Vibrated (the movement of the sheet being edgewise) the figures will seem tobe detached from the blue ground and to move their limbs independently in a grotesque manner. I find the best effect to be produced when an artificial light is employed and the face of the card is somewhat shaded. The eye thenappears to lose some of its power of fixing the figures, and the illu sion is thereby rendered more perfect. In some eases, also, the illusion will be best produced by viewing the `figures indirectly or askance, and this I attribute to thesame cause as that `just mentioned. As before stated, I

print may be stretched on a frame. i The spaces between the squares may be white and may be utilized for advertising, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. An optical toy consisting of separate figures or images imprinted in red on a blue ground and grouped substantially as set forth.

2. An optical toy consisting` of a series or group of blue grounds arranged on a card or board, each ground bearing a gure or image in red imprinted thereon, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. i

3. An optical toy consisting of the blue squares or grounds A A, separated by white spaces a, a, said grounds bearing ligures or images B B, imprinted in red thereon, and the whole mounted on a stiff backing capable of being vibrated, substantially as and ,for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I havehereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. KING.

Witnesses HENRY CONNETT, GEO. BAINTON. 

